Axle lubricator



July 18, 1939. F, RE E 2,166,606

AXLE LUBRICATOR Filed Dec. 20, 1957 In Venfar': M

Patented July 18, 1939 UNITED STATES- AXLE LUBRICATOR Fritz. Pesarese; Berlin, Germany,- assignor to Achslager-Syndikat, Berlin, Germany, a syndicate of Germany Application December 20, 1937, Serial No. 180,857 a In Germany December 29, 1936 3 Claims.

efficiency. That is to say, the present invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with journal boxes employing a circulating lubricating system wherein the lubricant is led over the outer lei. surface of the upper bearing brass and flows downwardly therefrom into a devicein which it is collected and supplied directly to the axle. It is, of course, understood that circulating systems are generally old, and, also, that heretofore means have been employed in such systems for supplying and insuring an adequate supply of lubricant direct to the axle, but, in most cases such auxiliary lubricant supplying means is open to the objection that if the vehicle starts with a jerk or the a journal box is otherwise subjected to a sudden jolt dryer, the lubricant is splashed or spills out and is therefore not supplied to the axle in sufficient quantity to insure proper lubrication.

According to the present invention this objection is overcome by providing a lubricating holding device which is held close to the axle at all times due to the fact that it is mounted yieldingly beneath the underside of the axle and is therefore normally urged toward the axle under all conditions of use. This device is not only mounted in a novel manner, but at the same time has in itself a novel construction for collecting the lubricant and supplying it to the axle thus insuring the maximum operating efiiciency in starting as well as in subsequent operation.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which: 7

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the improved device, the axle or journal being indicated in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the construction shown in Figure 1, partly in section, the line of section being taken on the line ll of Figure 1, but showing a modified form of lug.

Figure 3 is an end elevation, partly in section illustrating a modification of the construction shown in Fig. 2.

Similar reference characters indicate correspending parts throughout the several figures of the drawing.

According to the embodiment of the inventionshown in the drawing, the axle or journal I is adapted to be supplied with lubricant from the supply device designated generally as 2. This device preferably includes a body having a medial applicator section 3 of substantially-the contour of the lower part of the axle and which normally bears against the underside thereof. At opposite sides of the section 3 are provided the side troughs or-reservoirs extending parallel to the axle. These troughs, wells or "reservoirs have outer side walls whose upper edges 5 are higher than the edges 8 (Fig. 2) at the ends of. the troughs and are also higher than the overflow edges 'l-8 arranged between applicator section 3 and the reservoirs. As'will be observed from Fig. 1 the lubricant overflow edges 1 at the middle of the body are lower than the said end edges 6 to which they-are connected by the inclined edges 8. Thus, by reason of the fact that the edges 1 are lower than the inclined overflow edges 88, lubricant will be supplied in greater quantity to the medial portion of the axle. In other words, the overflow edges 1-8 are constructed to regulate the flow of lubricant to the axle where it is most needed.

According to the modification shown in Figure 3 lubricant applying section 3 is provided with a suitable covering or wick 9 the said cover extending over and about the overflow edges 1 and 8 and having its end portions l9 dipping into the trough-like reservoirs. In this'form of the invention the overflow edges 1 and 8 are preferably provided with the holes ll whereby the covering or wick may be sewn or otherwise secured to the body of the device by a binding wire 12 or its equivalent.

The body of the lubricating device 2 is preferably provided on its underside with adownwardly extending lug [3 which is surrounded and engaged by the upper convolution of a conical spiral spring I4 whose bottom end is confined within the flange I5 of a plate like spring support positioned on the bottom iii of the journal box casing. The said spring support is also provided with a centrally arranged upstanding collar I! which telescopically receives the lower end of the lug l3. For the purpose of preventing excessive downward movement of the lug l3, a suitable filled piece is preferably inserted in the collar I! beneath the lug I3. The distance between the upper edge IQ of the collar I1 and the underside 20 of the lubricator 2 is greater than the each side of the device as it flows over the edges 18. In connection with the construction shown in Figures 1 and 2 it will, of course, be understood that the applicator section 3 may be made of soft metal such as Babbitt metal, or it may be lined with such metal to prevent scarring of the axle;

Or, on the other hand, the surface of the portion 3 may be provided with a fabric covering or wick which will insure feeding of lubricant from the reservoirs 4 by capilliary attraction.

In all forms of the invention a more copious supply of lubricant is provided to be directly available to the axle thereby reliably to insure immediate lubrication of the axle even though it moves only through a relativelysmall angular distance or is moving at slow speed. In other words, until more lubricant is supplied or conveyed to the reservoirs 4 by the circulating systems (not shown) an adequate initial supply of lubricant to the axle will be insured. Moreover, if the vehicle should start with a short jerk, lubricant will not drop to the bottom of the box but will be directed to the axle because of applicator section'3 which is yieldingly held against the axle.

Without further description it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will of course be understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a lubricating device for supplying lubricant to axles mounted in journal boxes having a lubricant circulating system, a. lubricator comprising a body having a central lubricant receiving and applying section of substantially the curvature of the axle and provided outwardly thereof with lubricant reservoirs, overflow edges form-ed between said reservoirs and said central lubricantsupplying section, said edges having a medial portion of less height than the end and side walls of the reservoirs and being connected with said end walls by inclined edges whereby lubricant is directed to the axle in greater quantity at the middle of said applying section than toward the ends.

2. A 'lubricator for axles mounted in journal boxes comprising a body having a central section, of substantially the same contour as theaxle, said body being provided outwardly of said central portion with lubricant reservoirs, overflow edges formed on the body between said central section and the reservoirs, said overflow edges having depressed medial portions connected by upwardly inclined portions leading to the ends of the body and said reservoirs having side walls of greaterheights than the overflow edge portions, and means for supporting said body relative to the axle.

3. A lubricating device for supplying lubricant to axles as set forth in claim 2 characterized by the feature that the central portion of the lubricating device is provided in its bearing surface with an absorbent covering having the lateral ends thereof extending over the overflow edges of the central portion into the lubricating reservoirs.

FRITZ PESARESE. 

